Reflections in the Water
by LianneZ4
Summary: When an ordinary day takes an unexpected turn, Katara faces a painful realization. Set about fifty years after the end of Avatar: tLA.


**REFLECTIONS IN THE WATER**

**Summary: ****When an ordinary day takes an unexpected turn, Katara faces a painful realization. Set about fifty years after the end of Avatar: tLA.**

_A/N: Written for attackfish and her prompt; not beta-ed. Please excuse any mistakes._

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><p>She sees it coming long before anyone else.<p>

The years are passing away while they remake the world. Somehow, the Republic city grows out of what was once known as the Fire Nation colonies, and when Katara stops and watches, she sees how their dreams are coming true, sometimes different than they imagined, often more painful or beautiful or joyful than they expected. No matter what they do, there are always disputes to be settled and problems to be solved, but decades of their work eventually yield their results and the world enters a new era of peace and harmony. With all that's going on, they barely notice that they're slowly growing old.

That day, Katara and Aang come to see Zuko, for once being there simply to see their friends. Soon Mai joins them as they drink tea and play Pai Sho; laughing, joking and remembering the old times. When Zuko mentions stepping down and passing the throne to his daughter, Katara smiles and thinks of her own children who are already making their own mark in the world. For once, everything seems perfect.

They're ambushed on their way home.

In the surprise attack, Aang is badly wounded, and Katara barely sees his tattoos flicker while she's busy taking out their attackers and burying them in a block of ice. They rush back to the Fire Nation Palace. Katara immediately settles in the Royal gardens and takes Aang to the pond with her, while Zuko ensures their privacy, promising to help them any way they need. Wincing in pain, Aang lays down on the edge of the small lake while Katara steps into the water with him, kissing him on the lips before she turns to the job in hand. One by one, she addresses Aang's burns and injuries, treating them the same way that she had done countless times in the past.

One of the wounds doesn't respond to her healing.

"What…"

Calling on her powers, Katara focuses on the remaining burn. She pours every ounce of her into concentrating the healing energy, molds the water to her will as she repeatedly sooths the burned flesh on Aang's chest. For a long time, there is no progress at all, but finally she can feel the body responding as the healing takes place.

"_Katara…? Are you okay?"_

It's already dark. It's been hours since she started. Suddenly her legs are shaking and she has to sit down.

"Katara?" exclaims Aang, who has somehow gotten up and is now staring at her in concern.

Katara smiles at him. "I'm fine, Aang. Hey, you're all wet…" She bends the water out of their clothes. Catching on, Aang calls up a warm breeze of wind, until they're both completely dry. "How are you feeling?"

"Much better, thanks to you… like always."

"That's good." Trying to fake her smile, she looks away even as Aang pulls her closer.

_She's not fine._

Katara sees their faces in the water, and thinks of how long it took her to heal Aang's wound; how his body struggled against her, how even now there is a noticeable angry red scar. She remembers the way Aang's energy felt under her hands, like the old people she sometimes tries to heal, and it's like a punch in the gut when she realizes that even all her waterbending mastery can't take away the fatigue and weariness of old age. If she's honest with herself, she has already started noticing the signs earlier – after five decades together, Katara and Aang know each other all too well. She tells herself she's wrong, that her senses are fooling her… but she is still up her ankles in the lake and the water doesn't lie.

The realization shakes her to the core. One day, she's going to lose Aang. It won't be tomorrow or even the next month, but the day is coming quicker than she expected.

"Are you okay?" asks Aang in concern.

Katara looks at him, sees the love in his eyes, the wrinkles from laugher and that vibrant playful spark that she always loved about him. No matter what his body says, Aang's spirit is as young and strong as ever.

She takes a deep breath. "Yeah, I'm fine."

They still have time, years, even. Katara doesn't intend to waste them.

This time, her smile is real. "Come on, let's see if Zuko has a room for us".

They kiss before they start their walk back to the Royal Palace.


End file.
